It was only a matter of time. The Texas Rangers have struggled at the plate in 2025. I could've predicted that a few months back, as they changed hitting coaches from Tim Hyers to Donnie Ecker, who was fired on Sunday. Ecker lasted just one month into the season, but the Rangers have far bigger problems.
Texas has started the season poor offensively. This often happens when making a major regime change. Clearly, Hyers brought some value before he was let go. The Braves witnessed that, and while Atlanta has its own problems, few of those concerns have to do with the lineup.
Plus, the Rangers ought to have a bit more patience than one month barring an institutional failure. There is a chance I whiffed on that failure, but in the grand scheme of things firing your new hitting coach within a month speaks volumes about the franchise as a whole, not just the coaching staff.
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Rangers latest coaching move could backfire
The Rangers ranked 26th in batting average, and just scored one run or less in four straight games against the Oakland Athletics and Seattle Mariners. A major change was needed – especially for a team with so much money invested in the lineup – but I wouldn't bet on a major turnaround. Franchises which make harsh changes don't always pan out. I'd argue that the Rangers issues have more to do with the front office than the team itself.
All that being said, Texas has the seventh-best ERA in the sport through Sunday. The Rangers pitching has been fine, by most accounts. Texas was a dark horse World Series pick this season. I couldn't even argue against that perception given the talent on the roster. However, they haven't performed up to par so far. A change was necessary, and rather than making a bigger move, Chris Young and Bruce Bochy settled upon...the hitting coach. We'll see if it works.